Observed Signal · Aug 26, 2026 · Opinion · Source: The Drum · Impact: 1/5 · Sentiment: Neutral
Callaway ad exposes broken corporate apologies
PR expert Andy Barr argues that brands have lost the ability to apologise sincerely, blaming overcautious legal teams, marketing framing and executive interference. Using Callaway’s recently criticised advert and its subsequent statement as a primary example, Barr recommends short, heartfelt apologies delivered by the senior leader and warns against naming third parties (he criticises Callaway’s mention of media partner Good Good). He contrasts poor responses with examples he considers effective: KFC’s candid apology after a logistics failure and Nick Varney’s handling of the Alton Towers Smiler accident while CEO of Merlin Entertainment. The piece is an opinion on crisis communications best practice.
Opinion piece on crisis communications and corporate apologies with limited direct impact on AdTech/MarTech infrastructure or platform policy.
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Key Takeaways & Evidence Grounding
- Andy Barr is head of brand communications at Season One Communications.
- The article criticises Callaway for a poorly received advert and a weak, overly framed corporate apology.
- The author argues mentioning third parties (specifically media partner Good Good) in an apology was a mistake.
- KFC publicly took responsibility after a logistics switch to DHL from Bidvest caused restaurant closures, cited as a good apology example.
- Merlin Entertainment’s then-CEO Nick Varney is cited as an effective example of frontline crisis communication after the Alton Towers Smiler accident.
Connected Companies & Entities
2 Entities mapped“Who does apologies well? I think the best example that springs to mind, albeit of a far more trivial nature, is KFC when its logistics switc...”
“Who does apologies well? I think the best example that springs to mind, albeit of a far more trivial nature, is KFC when its logistics switc...”
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Four Brand Apologies Over Two Weeks
Adweek reports that four high-profile brand missteps in a two-week span prompted public apologies. Examples include Neutrogena responding to allegations involving Hayden Panettiere four days after her death, Target removing an offensive Halloween costume from shelves, and Good Good Golf taking down a video that depicted violence toward women. The story notes that all brands issued mea culpas but none responded to Adweek's request for comment. Mike Kresch, VP of strategy at Moburst, is quoted saying brands must closely examine products and marketing before release. The article frames these incidents as recurring examples of tone-deaf marketing by large companies.
Molly McPherson Analyzes Three PR Crisis Failures
Crisis communications expert Molly McPherson spoke at ADWEEK’s Social Media Week describing three recent brand crises to illustrate common missteps: poor empathy or tone in initial responses, treating DEI as a marketing tactic, and dismissing trust issues. She cited Air Canada’s CEO delivering limited French condolences after an Air Canada Express crash (March 22), which sparked public outrage and led the carrier’s board to say French-language ability will be considered in its CEO search. She discussed Target’s retreat from DEI last year — which provoked a Black consumer boycott — and noted new CEO Michael Fiddelke has engaged community leaders to rebuild trust. McPherson also reviewed photos involving reporter Dianna Russini and Patriots coach Mike Vrabel, contrasting The Athletic’s investigation and Russini’s resignation with the Patriots’ dismissive response as an example of mishandled brand trust.
Good Good Scandal Becomes Creator Economy's Cautionary Tale
Good Good, a golf media and lifestyle brand once seen as a blueprint for creator-led businesses, faced severe backlash after releasing a social video widely criticized for making light of violence against women. The fallout included Callaway ending its three-year partnership and committing $1 million to organizations supporting survivors, The Golf Channel shelving its 'Big Break x Good Good' reality TV series, and the PGA Tour cancelling its sponsorship relationship. Major retailers also pulled merchandise. In this opinion piece, Dark Horses' Simon Hanley argues the incident could reinforce brands' perceptions that creators are unpredictable and risky partners, potentially leading to more scrutiny, approval layers, and caution across creator marketing. He advises brands to assess creator values and professionalism, involve external perspectives, and prepare stronger crisis communication.
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